Hood latch



Aug. 5, 1958 13 H; JOHNSTON:

HOOD LATCH Filed May 31L 195e 2 Sheets-Sheet l LJ-(Einar Tfz @odore H. fo/Lizzozze Aug. 5, 1958 T. H. JOHNSTONE Hoon LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 51, 1956 daille Industries, Inc., Buffalo, Y., a corporation of Michigan n Application May 31, 11956, Serial No. 588,286

y 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-25) This invention relates to improvements in latching mechanisms for use on automobiles and more particularly relates to improvements in such latching mechanisms as may be employed for latching automobile hoods of the so-called alligator type. j

A principal object ofthe invention is to provide a simple and efficient hood'latch having both a safety catch and a positive latch positively latching the hood closed in various positions of the hood with respect to its keeper and taking up on the latch as the hood is moved toward a closed position. Y

Another object of the invention visto provide a new and improved form of hood latch having a safety catch and a positive latch in which the positive latch is released by movement of the safety catch in `a releasedirection, and in which thepositive latch is taken up upon the tendency of the hood to move toward a closed position.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to improve; upon the hood latching mechanisms heretofore in use in automotive vehiclesl byutilizing the latch casing as a centering guide for the hood and carrying both the positive latch and safety catch in the latch casing, biasing the positive'latch in retracted relation with respect to the casing and biasing the safety catch in projected relation with respect tothe casing and moving the positive latchin latching position by engaging the positive latch with the keeper during hood closing movement, and also utilizing a pawl and ratchet to take up on a posi-I tive latch and -released by the safety catch Iupon retractible movement thereof. f y

These and other objectsv of'the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference tothe accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a hood latch constructed. in accordance with the present invention with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in vertical section;

Figure 2 is a partial fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyy along line II-,II of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the latch with certain parts-brokenaway andcertain otherparts shown in horizontal section; l

Figure 4'is a view of the latch inside elevation looking at the latch from the opposite side thereof than in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is .a partial fragmentary view of the positive latch and its holding pawl and ratchet, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in section and showing the latch in its various positions of movement from a released to 4an extreme latching position.

In the embodiment of the'invention illustratedk in the drawings, a plate of a transversely pivoted alligator type of hood (not shown) of an automotive vehicle is shown as having a depending latch casing 11 secured thereto as by bolts 12, extending through spaced projecting flanged portions 13. of the latch casing.

2,846,253 Patented Aug. 5, 1958 'Ihe latch casing 11 may be formed from a single piece of sheetmetal, as by a stamping operation and has a rounded nose 15 guiding the casing for movement within an apertured portion 16 of a stationary plate 17 on the hood body. The apertured portion 16 is provided with a downwardly extending flanged portion 19 having guiding engagement with the casing. 'I'he flanged portion 19 is also adapted to be engaged by a safety catch 20 pivotally mounted within the casing and biased in projected relation with respect to the casing, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds, to limit opening movement of the hood, should the positive latch 21 be accidentally released.

The positive latch 21 is shown in Figure l as being projected fromthe oppositeside of the casing 11 from the safety catch 20 and as having a locking slot 22 therein, engageable with a downwardly and inwardly curved end portion 23 of the apertured portion 16 and flange 19 of the stationary plate 17, and forming a keeper for said positive latch.

The safety catch 20 has a hook-like engaging end portion 24 normally projecting through a wall 25 of the latch casing adjacent the lower end thereof and is pivotally mounted von the latch casing adjacent the upper end thereof on a pivot pin 26 carried in a forward wall 27 of the latch casing and riveted or otherwise secured thereto. The safety catch 20 also has a release lever 29secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom through the open rear portion of the latch casing and then along the side of the latch casing beyond the side thereof and downwardly and forwardly therefrom. The forwardly projectingk forward end portion of the release lever 29 forms a hand grip 30, extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom, and herein shown as being formed integrally therewith to pivot the safety catch 20 in a retracted position within the latch casing 11, and to accommodate free openingmovement of the hood from the front thereof.

The safety catch20 is biased in the projected position shown in Figure l by a tension spring 31 hooked at oneA end in the aperture of an apertured portion 32 of the latch casing 11 and hooked at its other end in the aperture of lan apertured portion 33 of the release lever 30.

The positive latch 21 is pivoted intermediate itsl ends within the latch casing on a pivot pin 35 riveted or otherwise secured to the forward wall 27 of the latch casing. Said positive latch is shown yas being spaced inwardly of the safety catch 20 and as` having a downwardly and outwardly extending nose portion 36 within which the locking slot 22 is formed. A torsion spring 37 carried on the pivot pin 35 is provided to bias the s'afety catch in retracted relation with respect to the latch casing. The torsion spring 37 is shown as having one leg 39 engaging the side wall of the latch casing and an opposite leg 40 hooked over a recessed advance edge 41 of the positive latch.

The nose 36 of the positive latch 21 is shown as having a strike surface 43 defining the upper margin of the locking slot `22. The strikesurface 43 projects a slight distance beyond the side wall of the latch casing 11, when the positive latch is in the retracted position indicated by reference character A in Figure 5. The strike surface 43 is thus in position to engage the inturned keeper surface`23 of the apertured portion 16 of the stationary plate 17, and to move the positive latch into engagement with the keeper against the bias vof the torsion spring 37'by striking the keeper as the hood is closed.

The positive latch 21 is taken up on and held in a latching position by a pawl 44 engageable with ratchet teeth 4S on the opposite side of the pivot pin 35 from the nose 36, and herein shown as being formed integrally with the upper edgeof ,the latch. The pawlr44 is mounted on a pivot pin 46 adjacent the upper end of the latch casing and at the opposite side thereof from the pivot pin 26; The pivot,pin'46ftrnay.be rivetedor otherwise secured to the front wall 27 of the 'flatch casing. A- torsion spring 47 is mountedton the Vpivot pinz46. One leg of the .torsion spring 47 engages withiny -a recessed portion 49 of the latch casing adjacent the -upperouter side thereof. The opposite leg of the torsiony spring 47 engages a lug S projecting laterally outwardly from the pawl 44 into position'to be engaged `by a camming release surface 51'of the safety catch 20. t

' vThe camming release surface -51 of the safety catch 20 is shown as being spaced beneath' the axis of -a pivot pin 26 and as extending beneath the lu'g or ear l50 to engage the lug 50 and lthen release Vthe lpawl `44 from the ratchet teeth 45 to accommodate retract-ible movement of the ypositive latch by the torsion spring 37, as the ,safety catch is released. lf, however, the hand should be released from the release lever 29 after release ofthe positive latch, the spring 31 wilt immediately project the safety catch in position to-enga'gewithin the flanged portion 19 of the stationary plate 17, to prevent accidental opening ofthe hood.

During hood closing movement, the strike surface 43 of `the slot 22 will project slightly beyond the side of the latch casing as indicated by reference character A in Figure 5. As the strike surface or edge 43 engages the inturned keeper portion of the apertured portion' 16 of the ,plate 17, the positive latch will berotated in a clockwise direction upon continued downward movement of the hood. This will bring the latch to yposition B,the ratchet 44 `holding the latch in a locked position and taking up on the latch as it moves from position B to its fully latched position C shown in Figure 5. Thus, as the hood is y moved downwardly toward a closed position, the pawl will take `up on the latch and any movement of the hood caused .by vibration or jiggling will tend to cause the pawl to .take up on the latch and to hold the latch from moving in a release direction.

It is of course understood that as the llatch is .projected by engagement of the strike surface 43 with the inturned keeper surface Z3, that the safety catch is retracted by engagement with the rounded edge of the apertured portion 16 of the stationary -plate 17 until the safety catch has passed the flange 19, at which time the spring 31 will project the vsafety catch 20 into position to catch within the flange 19 and prevent accidental opening of the hood.

When it is desired to -open the hood, it is merely necessary to grasp the hand grip portion 30 of the 'lever 29 by `reaching through the hood and to llift up on said hand grip portion. This will move the safety catch Ztl in a release direction and at the same time will disengage the pawl 44 lfrom the ratchet teeth 45 and accommodate the torsion spring 37 to retract the positive latch and permit free opening movement of the hood, provided `upward pressure is 4exerted on the hand grip 30 of the release lever 29 until the safety catch 20 lhas moved past the apertured portion 16 of the stationary plate 17.

It will be understood that various modifications and variations of the present invention may Vbe effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the Vnovel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a hood latch for automotive vehicles, a latch casing, a positive latch pivotally mounted within said casing and projectible from one 'side of said casing, an auxiliary safety catch Ypivotally mounted within rsaid casing and projectible from the opposite side lof said casing, spring means biasing said `saietycatch inprojected relation with respect to said -casing,;spring :means biasing said positive latch in :retracted relation ywith t,respect to said casing, said positive latch having a locking slot therein engageable with akeeper the upper outer face of which locking slot defines a strike nose projecting from said latch casing when the positive latch is in its extreme retracted position, for striking the keeper and moving said locking slot into latching engagement therewith upon movement of said latch casing toward the keeper, said positive flatch having ratchet teeth thereon extending along the end thereof opposite from said locking slot, a pawl engageable with Ysaid ratchet yteeth for taking up on said positive latch during hood closing movement and holding said positive latch in a latched position, a torsionspring vbiasing said pawl into engagement with said ratchet teeth, a release lever secured to said safety catch for releasably movingsaid safety catch, and a camming face on said safety catch for engaging and releasing said pawl upon movement of said safety catch in a release direction and accommodating release vmovement of said Vpositive latch.

2f ln a hood latch -for lautomotive vehicles, a latch casing, a positive latch pivotally mounted within said casing and projectible from one side of said casing, an auxiliary safety catchy pivotally'mounted vn'thin said casing .and projectihle from the opposite side of said casing, spring means biasing -said safety catch in projected relation withrespect to said casing, spring means biasing said positive ylatch in retracted relation with respect to said casing, said positive latch having a locking slot therein engageable with va *keeper the upper outer face of which locking slot defines a strike nose projecting from said latch casing-when the positive klatch is in its extreme retracted position, for striking the keeper and moving said locking slot into latching engagement therewith upon `movement of said latch casing toward the keeper, said positive latch having ratchet teeth thereon extending along the end thereof opposite from said locking slot, a-pawlengageable with saidl ratchet teeth for taking -up on said positive latchI during hood closing movement and l'holding said positive latch in the 'latched position, a releaseleverseeured lto said safety catch and projecting Atherefrom and laccessible through the grill of the hood body for releasing Asaid safety catch, and a camming face on 4said safety catch engageable with said pawl for' releasing said pawl from said ratchet teeth to accommodate release of said positiveY latch upon moveg carried within -said latch casing,a pivotpin at the upper end of said 4latch casing pivotally mounting said safety catch lwithin said latchl casing adjacent its upper end in overlying relation with respect to said positive latch, a tension spring connected between said latch casing and safety catch and biasing said safety catch in `projected relation- With' respect to :saidA latch casing, a torsion spring biasing said positive latch in retracted relation with respect to said latch casing, Said positive latch having a locking slot therein-on one-side o'f the axis of said pivot pin, for engagement with the keeper, the upper outer surface of which locking slot defines a strike surface projecting from said latch casing when said positive vlatch is in a retracted position and engageable with the keeper upon hood y closing-movement, to move said locking slot into locking engagement with the keeper as the hood is closed, said positive latch having ratchet teeth extending along the opposite end vthereof from lsaid gagea'ble with said ratchet teeth,fa pivot pin Epivotally mounting said pawlin said latch casing, a torsion spring biasing said pawl into engagement with said ratchet teeth, an ear extending from said pawl and-overlying said safety catch and a camming face on said safety catch engage- `locking slot, a pawl en-.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Beems et al. May 16, 1950 Dall Ian. 4, 1955 Krause Sept. 18, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 24, 1953 

